verb

1 of 3213

Bad / Disorganized

audio

garble - To distort a message so that it is unclear or confusing

When the astronauts landed on Mars, static garbled their voices so none of the billions of people on earth watching on TV could understand what they were saying.

noun

2 of 3213

Other / Other

audio

sundry - Various items not important enough to be mentioned individually

Wes needed to freshen up before getting on the plane, so the newsstand employee pointed him to the deodorant and other various sundries on the shelves.

adjective

3 of 3213

Bad / Disorganized

Url audio

dicey - Risky or dangerous; uncertain.

It’s a bit dicey to invest in that startup—it hasn’t proven itself yet.

adjective

4 of 3213

Other / Other

audio

extraneous - Not relating to the subject or situation being focused on

The teacher tried to focus on the day's topic, and spent a great effort making sure the class wasn't distracted by questions and comments from students about extraneous topics.

verb

5 of 3213

Good / Smart

Url audio

scrutinize - To look at something in great detail, often to understand it better or to detect any flaws or issues.

The detective carefully scrutinized the evidence he had gathered, trying to find a clue that might help him figure out who committted the crime.

noun

See verb

6 of 3213

Other / Sound

audio

howl - A cry of pain, anger, amusement, etc.

The wolf's howl echoed across the snowy field.

noun

7 of 3213

Good / Exciting

audio

thriller - A novel, play, or movie with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionag

With their fast-paced plots and action-filled pages, John Grisham's thrillers are consistently popular.

adjective

8 of 3213

Other / Inward

Url audio

repressed - Describing memories or feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness due to trauma or stress.

He had repressed memories of his childhood, unable to recall the events that had deeply affected him.

adjective

9 of 3213

Bad / Stupid

Url audio

foolish - Lacking good sense or judgment; unwise.

The group realized in hindsight that it had been foolish to go hiking without checking the weather forecast.

noun

10 of 3213

Bad / Weak

Url audio

stalemate - A deadlock or standoff where neither side can win or gain an advantage.

The negotiations ended in a stalemate, with neither side willing to compromise.

verb

11 of 3213

Other / Move

Url audio

bandy - To mention something a lot, usually without taking care or thinking too much about what is being said

Since Charlene started posting regularly on Facebook and Twitter, she found that people she didn't know would bandy her name all over the Internet without any relation to what she actually said in her posts.

adjective

12 of 3213

Other / Up+Down

Url audio

buoyant - Tending to float in a liquid. capable of keeping a body afloat - also cheerful and not easily depressed.

The life jacket kept him buoyant in the water.